Embracing the Light and the Dark
by Shinryudan
Summary: When an outing at a cafe goes wrong, Sora, Riku, and Kairi are pulled into an adventure once more. Rated T for possibly descriptive violence. *WARNING* Spoilers from KH1, KH2, KHBBS, KH3D, and KH 358/2 Days.
1. Arrival of a New Threat

I do not own Kingdom Hearts. AU and OC.

It had been a year since I returned home from my solo training to become a Keyblade Master. I was planning to ask Yen Sid to test again this summer. I couldn't remember how long it had been since we'd been home, all together.

My hometown had become a bustling port-side city, on the forefront of technology and other things. School had just ended, and we were free to do what we wanted now.7

I was walking home from school, looking at my phone, texting Tidus to come meet up with Riku and I later that day. It amazed me how much my world had remained unchanged, for the most part, even though we'd been through so much.

"Hey, Sora!" a voice called from behind me.

The voice was Riku. His personality had become cheerier lately, not so serious. He'd finally cut his hair to a little shorter than it was before our world got swallowed by the darkness.

"Sora, you ready for summer?" he said.

"Yeah! Now that school's over, I can go meet Yen sid!" I said.

"Actually, Kairi called me earlier, and she was wondering if we wanted to join her and some friends going to town tonight. She wanted to kick off the summer by all of us going to dinner. I told her I'd talk to you first." Riku said.

"Sure, why not? I suppose visiting the island can wait." I said.

When we got home, we changed out of our school uniforms, finally able to put on our normal clothes.

"It feels so long since I've worn these clothes!" Riku said.

"Yeah, it sure does..." I said, putting on my crown pendant.

We headed out to town, meeting Kairi at the restaurant. With her was a tall guy with black hair, wearing a black and silver jacket, and pants with white straps, and pair of black and white shoes, much like I used to have. There was also a girl standing there too, with black hair, tipped with red streaks. Her dress was of a similar color scheme to the guy's.

"Hey, Sora, Riku! These are my friends from my other classes. I've been meaning to introduce you." Kairi said.

I stuck out my hand to shake hands with the girl, but the guy stepped in front to block me.

"What, is she your girlfriend?" Riku taunted.

"No, she's my sister. I don't appreciate people making very forward advances towards her." he said.

I suddenly saw the resemblance. They had the same black hair, not to mention the same taste in clothing, it seemed.

"Well, I did not mean to." I said.

"I apologize if I seem aggressive. My name's Alex." he said.

I shook his hand, and turned a friendly nod to his sister

"My name is Eloisa." she said.

We went inside, and sat down. Riku and Alex started having a lengthy conversation, laughing periodically. I talked with Eloisa a bit, while Kairi ordered for us.

"So, Eloisa... I haven't seen either you or your brother around school at all before. What's with that?" I said.

"Well, for one, my brother is in a different grade than you. He prefers to keep to his friends in the music classes. As for myself, I usually keep to my close friends, like Kairi, when she comes to our spot at lunch." she said.

She seemed like a very quiet girl. Although she seemed to be hiding something.

"But what about you? I didn't see you at all during the last semester of last year. Riku wasn't there either. And I couldn't get a hold of Kairi last summer. What were you guys up to?" she said skeptically.

"Um, we were on an exchange program, and Kairi went somewhere with her family, and probably forgot to tell you." I said nervously.

Suddenly, there was an explosion outside.

I turned to Riku, and he nodded at me. But Alex said, "Sit down. Let my sister and I handle this. We know you are the chosen of the Keyblade. We know just about everything there is to know about you. King Mickey has kept our father informed."

I was shocked. He knew I had the Keyblade, and I didn't even have to tell him. I tried to stop him, but Riku signaled me to wait and see what would happen. I didn't like not doing anything.

The source of the explosion turned out to be a large creature with a pair of golden wings as an emblem on its chest. It wore a helmet that covered its monster itself possessed a sword wrapped in a long strip of cloth, which it brandished, cutting many buildings around it. Standing erect, it was practically fifty feet tall with a thin, flimsy-looking body. I wanted to think it was some sort of Heartless, but looked more noble and pure than that.

"Don't be fooled into thinking it's some kind of angel." Eloisa said.

Alex drew forth from a pocket of space a familiar sight: a Keyblade. It was different, in that it was sharper, and looked more wicked. It looked like a katana with two extra blades jutting out of the end, forming the teeth of the key. Then he drew another Keyblade, resembling a longsword, with two other sword points forming the teeth.

"Let your false light be purged from this earth." he said.

Then, many ribbons of light began to encircle the beast.

"And let true darkness show you its fury." he said.

Then ribbons of darkness encircled it. The ribbons shredded the beast's body, and sealed the remains inside a grey orb.

"Father will be most displeased that they showed up here, too." Eloisa said.

"What was that thing?" I asked.

"We call them the Heralds of Deceit. They try to bring about their leader's twisted vision of salvation and prosperity. They wish to destroy all worlds, and return the universe to a state of perpetual twilight." Alex explained.

"The only creatures we've ever heard of or encountered are the Heartless, Nobodies, Unversed, and Dream Eaters." Riku said.

"Well, the truth is, that Heralds have a sort of complex origin involving all of those things." Eloisa said.

"More importantly, why can you wield a Keyblade?" I said.

"Our entire family is made up of Keyblade wielders. We comprise the royal family of the world of Shiragasa. Our father is the current emperor, and also the most powerful Keyblade wielder in existence." Alex said.

"And just how do you make that call?" Riku said.

"It's a fact. He trained some of history's most powerful Keyblade wielders, including Master Yen Sid and Eraqus." Alex said.

"Really? That means he must be really old, right?" I said.

"Sora! You shouldn't say that!" Kairi said.

"You'll see, soon enough. For you see, our father sent us here to get you." Eloisa said.

"But we don't even have a gummi ship!" I said.

"You won't need one. We will be traveling through a hall of light." she said.

"And unfortunately, the current situation forces us to leave right away. So, let's go!" Alex said.

Alex began opening a portal, opening into a white void. It looked like the corridors of darkness, only made of light.

"Looks like summer will have to take a raincheck." Riku said.


	2. Awakening the Three

I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

When we finally got on the other side, we were in a huge room. The walls and pillars were made of marble, and the windows framed in silver and gold.

"This place is gigantic! And this is where you guys live?" I said.

"It's not just us. Most of our family lives here with us. We practically grew up with our cousins. But anyway, let's get to the throne room. Our father is waiting." Alex said.

While we walked towards the throne room, we met a lot of Alex and Eloisa's family. A couple of children ran quickly through the halls.

One man stopped Riku on the shoulder. He looked young, but older than Riku. He wore a similar get up that Alex wore, only he wore a coat, and the color scheme was gold and silver.

He said, "So you're the newest Keyblade Master? I was expecting a full grown man, but you're just a kid! Anyway, I'm Jesson. I'm Alex and Eloisa's oldest cousin."

"Nice to meet you, sir, I'm Riku. These two here are my friends Sora and Kairi. They're also Keyblade wielders. Sora's working to become a Master as well. I assume you're a Keyblade Master as well? What did you do for your Mark of Mastery?" Riku asked.

"Oh, does that bring back memories. My task was to unseal a Keyhole in Radiant Garden." he said.

"Unseal? Don't we usually seal Keyholes?" I said.

"You see, while there's a Keyhole that Heartless usually try to attack, there's also another Keyhole, that opens the way into the dream realm. Sometimes, there are certain items or people that need to be retrieved. Believe me, it's not easy to do, even if you have two of your teammates with you."

"Listen, Jesson, we need to get to the throne room. Urgent business." Eloisa said.

"Alright, I'll let you guys go. By the way Eloisa, if I were you, I'd keep my eye on this Sora. He seems like a nice kid, if you know what I mean." Jesson said.

Eloisa became red, and said, "Oh, shut up, Jesson. You don't know what you're saying."

I didn't say anything, because I didn't want to say something stupid. We then continued on to the throne room.

The man I saw sitting on the throne at the head of the room was the most imposing guy I'd ever seen. He wore a deep blue coat lined in gold, and an armor frame over it.

At the bottom of the steps toward the throne, I saw a boy and girl engaged in battle with Keyblades. The girl wielded an Oathkeeper, although it looked more elegant and fluid. And the boy wielded an Oblivion with a curve and more wicked.

"Feilor, Hinaka, sparring time is over. You both did well. I have an audience now." the man said in a deep and powerful voice.

"Yes, we will take your leave, Lord Uncle." they said in unison.

The two left quietly, and stared at us as they left.

"Father, we have returned with the three you requested." Eloisa said.

"Let us go to a more private room. The matters I wish to discuss are not for public ears." he said.

He pressed a button at the bottom of the steps, and the floor beneath began to move, revealing yet another staircase. He gestured for us to follow. When we reached the bottom, there was a sort of parlor, with couches and chairs. We all sat down, before he began to speak.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aquatos. I am the sixty-sixth emperor of Shiragasa, and tenth head of the Liores family of Keyblade wielders." he said.

"It's a pleasure and honor to meet you, your majesty." Sora said.

"Please, dispense with the formalities. We will be allies soon." he said.

"Father?" Alex said suspiciously.

"Yes, Alex. I believe they are the ones." Aquatos said.

"The ones?" Kairi said.

"Yes. We have a most daunting task ahead of us. The Harbinger has conspired with Master Xehanort." Aquatos said.

"Who's the Harbinger?" I said.

"The leader of the Heralds of Deceit. He plans to create an existence in the vision of he and Xehanort." Alex said.

"It's bad enough having to deal with all thirteen of Xehanort's selves. Now this?" Riku said.

"It is truly troublesome. While our family is made up of an army of Keyblade Masters, we need Sora especially. And also you and Kairi, Riku. Sora's ability to mend and spark the birth of a heart through his bonds with others is invaluable. Kairi must quickly learn the way of the Masters. As for you, Riku, we must free you of your darkness, so that you have no regrets." Aquatos said.

"So, what exactly is the plan, Father?" Eloisa said.

"We must awaken the missing Keyblade wielders. And complete Sora." Aquatos said.

"Complete me? What do you mean? I feel pretty complete." I said.

"Father, may I?" Alex said.

"Go ahead." Aquatos said.

"Sora, your memories are incomplete, and your power not fully attained. There is a person, who, while you were asleep, fell into a fragmented state. The first step, is to return Master Aqua to us." Alex said.

"Aqua? Who is that?" I asked.

"Master Aqua is a Keyblade Master, trained by Master Eraqus. She disappeared into the darkness long ago, trying to save a friend of hers. She is the only one of the missing three with body and heart still intact. She is a magical expert, and may be the only Master left who can return a heart to its body." Eloisa said.

"Why can't your father do it?" Kairi said.

"For the reason that I do not possess a bond with the person we are trying to revive." Aquatos said.

"So, where are we headed first?" I said.

"What?" Alex said.

"I'm ready to go. If the worlds are in danger, I want to get started soon!" I said.

"Calm down, Sora. First, I must tell you this: you are going alone." Aquatos said.

"What? Why?" I said.

"This is for a few reasons: the person we are trying to revive also exists inside of you, and the first step also involves you. Also, we are administering this as a Mark of Mastery exam. I have received permission from Yen Sid." Aquatos said.

"Well, Sora. It looks like you might become a Master sooner than we thought." Riku said.

"This is definitely a great opportunity for you, Sora!" Kairi said.

"Yes, indeed it is. In the meanwhile, we must free Riku of his darkness, and train Kairi." Aquatos said.


	3. The Mark of Mastery and Granting Closure

I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

We stayed the night in the palace, in order to rest for my Mark of Mastery exam, starting training for Kairi, and Riku getting rid of the darkness inside him.

When morning came, I followed Aquatos to a special room below the palace. The room was white, with two chairs in the center. There was an orb of energy floating in one of the chairs. The aura around it gave me the feeling of loneliness and despair.

"Meet Xion, Sora." Aquatos said.

"Xion? That sounds so familiar." I said.

"It should. Xion was the fourteenth member of Organization XIII, but her existence was short lived. This orb represents all that remains of Xion after Roxas was forced to put an end to her. While she too, did not have a heart, she was able to feel, because the memories that she was made of belonged to you. Your memories were filled with emotions, and strong ones at that. This caused a longing for a heart of her own, and to create her own memories. I collected her consciousness that floated around in space, and bound it into this." Aquatos said.

"So... Roxas knew her, but not me? But why is it that she has a part of me?" I said.

"You could say that, but you are the original form of Roxas. Xion was to be a replica of you, formed from the memories that leaked during your sleep. The Organization created her as a fail-safe, in case you and Roxas did not do as they planned. However, they also did not realize that along with your memories, those of another that exists within you flowed out as well. They were fragmented, but they also became a part of Xion. You cannot recall those memories because they are incomplete."

"OK... So, what exactly am I going to do?" I said.

"You will venture into Xion's consciousness, and retrieve the part of you she still has. Be warned: Xion's short existence was wracked with pain and despair. Over her inability to obtain her own sense of identity, and being told that she was nothing more than an empty shell, devoid of emotion. And also that of having to ask a friend to end her life. All the misery and agony has warped her mind, and caused her to lose her sanity. Be prepared for what you may encounter." Aquatos said.

Aquatos then drew his Keyblade, which was the Two Become One Keyblade. Pointing it at Xion's consciousness, a Keyhole appeared, and opened a space of red and black.

"Sora, should emerge from this world with your missing fragment, you will have proven yourself a Keyblade Master." Aquatos said.

"Alright! I'm ready for this!" I said.

"Sit in the chair, Sora." Aquatos said.

Sitting down in the empty seat, something pulsed inside me.

"Xion, we're coming to meet you. Wait for us." a voice inside me said.

"Roxas, was that you? Don't worry. I'll find her." I said.

I walked into the portal, being consumed in the red and black void.

When I emerged on the other side, I saw Twilight Town. But instead of twilight, it was night, and everything was dark, and destroyed, the only light being from the moon.

I marched forward, only to meet a man with pink hair. He wore the Organization's coat, and I drew my Keyblade.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" I said.

"Meet destruction, you pitiful excuse for a Keyblade wielder. I will control you, and take Kingdom Hearts for my own." he said.

I began to charge at this guy. He attacked with a huge scythe. I managed to fend him off, but I wasn't making any progress in beating him.

Just then, a brief thought crossed my mind.

"Let me help you." the voice said.

It was Roxas! He was trying to help. From the inside.

"I could use the help, if you can come out." I said.

Then, light ribbons began to swirl around, and they formed into Roxas, his Keyblades drawn.

"Roxas! How did you get here?" I said.

"I could see that you needed some help, Sora. Unlike in the real world, I can manifest myself here, even though I'm only in your heart." he said.

"OK, that's great! We can take this guy on together!" I said.

"Yeah. Let's go!" he said, getting ready to charge.

After a flurry of attacks and light bursts, the guy with the scythe faded away.

"Who was that? He looked kind of familiar. Did he come from Xion's memories or mine?" I said.

"That was Marluxia. He was indeed a member of the Organization. He became the lord of Castle Oblivion while I was still a part of it. He was simply a memory, and nothing more than that. But I don't think he could have come from Xion's memories." Roxas said.

"Hmm... I don't think so. I don't remember fighting any guy named Marluxia. Or even this Castle Oblivion you're talking about. I think, that Xion's memories of being in the Organization are flowing into me now." I said.

"That's entirely possible. But for now, we need to keep moving." Roxas said.

"Right." I said.

As we kept moving forward, more Organization members began to appear, some of which I didn't know. The truth was, I didn't know whether I was gaining Xion's memories or not. I didn't understand how all I could have forgotten all of these people, especially if I fought and defeated them.

When we finally got to what looked like the station, Roxas stopped for a moment.

"Sora, wait a minute." he said.

"What's up?" I said.

"I have a feeling that Xion might react violently if she sees you. Let me merge with you again. Maybe you can try to project my appearance on to yourself. She might listen to us that way. Besides, I don't want to see a friend tear themselves apart. Even if the only thing I can remember about her is her name. But listening from inside you to Aquatos, I feel terrible, having ended her life that way." he said.

"OK, Roxas. If you think that's the only way she'll listen, then let's do it." I said.

I closed my eyes after Roxas began to break apart into light ribbons, and merged with me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was sitting on the clock tower. A girl with black hair, wearing an Organization coat, was sitting next to me. She looked tired, with tear streaks on her face.

I stared at my hands, and instead of seeing my usual gloves, I saw myself wearing an Organization coat and gloves. I had to assume I looked like Roxas.

"Xion?" I said.

"Roxas?" she said.

"What a relief. She thinks you're me." Roxas said from inside me.

"Roxas, what are you doing here? I thought you were gone, and you forgot me." she said.

"I haven't, Xion. I came back to help you." I said.

"My body is gone. I can't really see what or who there is to help. Besides, all that's inside me is memories belonging to someone else. I'm not my own person. I'm not worth protecting." she said.

"That's not true! You are your own person! Your life, no matter how short it was, was still a life! You created bonds with friends, and so you made memories. Even if a lot of your memories are painful, and you didn't have that many friends to remember, it doesn't mean your life meant nothing. If anything, it means that you are a person with a heart. You created your own memories, that no one else could ever whip up using magic or anything else!" I said.

"Even so, I don't know what to do. There's no where for me to go or to return to. I'm just wandering in space..." she said.

"Let me speak through you. Don't say anything." Roxas said from inside.

I let his will flow through me, and suddenly, I was the one looking from the inside.

"Listen to me. If you have memories of Sora, then think about how he feels, missing some of his memories. He must feel broken. If you go back to him, you'll have a purpose. You'll have a place to belong." Roxas said.

I couldn't deny I felt a little broken, missing those memories.

"Roxas... do you really mean that? Oh, what am I saying? You would never lie to me. It's not like you. Thanks for this talk we had. I'm ready to go back to Sora, heart and all." Xion said.

Then, I returned to my body. Then I looked at myself again, seeing my own clothes again. Then I looked at Xion.

"Hello, Xion. I'm Sora." I said

"Hello, Sora. It's good to finally meet you. I want to give you your memories back. Because of all the emotion in them, I was able to make my own, and become a person, at last." Xion said.

Xion began to dissipate into little orbs of light, and I felt them flow into me. Inside, I felt complete. And also that something else had awoken inside me. Xion was inside my heart too, now.

Then, everything around me began to fade, and I was pulled out of that world. When I woke up, I was in the chamber with two chairs again.

"Sora, welcome back." Aquatos said.

"I did it. Xion is inside me. And the broken memories I had are fixed." I said.

"Congratulations, Sora. I officially name you a Keyblade Master." Aquatos said.

"Thank you, Master Aquatos." I said.

"Now, Master Sora, what did you learn inside the realm?" he said.

"I learned the name of the person we're looking to revive. His name is Ventus. I took his heart into mine as a kid. His body was separated from it in a battle with a guy named Vanitas. He had two friends named Terra and Aqua. Aqua was a Keyblade Master." I said.

"Very good, Sora." Aquatos said.

"He can finally speak to me. It's been so long since I last could. He says... that he wants to help us. He wants to help us bring his friends back, and stop Master Xehanort." I said.

"And he shall. Now, we must meet up with Riku and Kairi. They have finished their training in your absence." Aquatos said.

"What?! How long was I gone?!" I said, not believing that they had both finished their training.

"Time flows differently in the realm of one's mind. You may have felt like it was only a few hours, when in fact, in the real world, it was a few months." he said.

"OK... Anyway, let's go. I'm starving anyway..." I said, smiling.


	4. Riku's Freedom

I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

(Switching to Riku's POV)

While Sora went off to do his Mark of Mastery exam, I had to begin my own training.

In order to free myself of the darkness, I had to undergo special training with a specialist. When I woke up that morning, Jesson, the guy from the day before, took me outside to the training grounds.

Sitting on a pedestal was an old woman in the robes of a Master. She sat quietly, in meditation.

"Lady Tiesa, I've brought you the boy to be your newest pupil." Jesson said.

The woman opened her eyes, and descended from the pedestal, landing lightly on her feet. She then waved Jesson away, who then left.

"Hello, young pupil. I have been told you are still tainted by darkness' grip. Tell me how it happened." she said.

"It is honor, Lady Tiesa. When I was fifteen, the darkness took my home world, and I along with it. I was manipulated, and Ansem, Seeker of Darkness possessed me, and his grip still persists inside me. Since then, I've learned to use the darkness, instead of fearing it." I said.

"Impressive. you are farther along than I'd anticipated, considering how your heart became tainted." she said.

"My lady, how do you mean?" I asked.

"Young Riku, while darkness may taint your heart, you have come to use it to your advantage. However, you must now rid yourself of the scourge. But the first step, is accepting that darkness exists, and is of equal status to the light. Darkness has always been a part of the universe, and the only reason many fear it, is because many figures throughout time have misused its power." she said.

"I understand, but how am I to confront those who do so?" I said.

"Know this: those who use the darkness in the ways of the Organization and Ansem the Seeker of Darkness, are despicable beings, who have corrupted the image of darkness. In our family, our method of training brings both light and darkness to an equilibrium within us. At this point, we may freely use both. There is no shame in using the darkness. You must show mercy to it, and recognize that it has been misused, and wrought destruction by another hand." she said.

"But Sora has never used the darkness! He didn't give in, like I did..." I said.

"Ah, but he has. Or I should say, Roxas has." she said.

"My lady, how is it that you know about Roxas?" I asked.

"I am a close advisor to the emperor, and his private council kept close watch over Sora and you these past years." she said.

"If you were so close at hand.. Then why didn't you help Sora when he was captured by Xehanort!?" I said, becoming outraged.

"It was not our place to do so, and it was also his Mark of Mastery Exam, in which outsiders may not interfere. Also, we saw that his heart awakened another's within himself. We knew this heart would be instrumental to our victory." she said.

"Then how is it that Sora has achieved equilibrium?" I asked.

"Within Sora exists Roxas, who was and still is a denizen of the realm of darkness, but wielded the power of light. Sora is a denizen of the realm of light, but submitted himself to darkness in order to save Kairi in Hollow Bastion all those years ago. Thus, his heart is equal part darkness and light. However, his darkness is not corrupt, and serves to aid him, rather than weaken him." she said.

"Very well... I see. May we proceed?" I asked.

"I feel that you have accepted darkness as a part of life, and that it will exist no matter what." she said.

"The second step is facing your darkness, in order to free yourself of its taint. In order to do this, you must face your Herald of Deceit." she said.

"Herald of Deceit? How is it they are born?" I said.

"The Heralds are born from the womb of the heart of the Harbinger. The Harbinger was once a person, like you and I. He lived in the time of the Keyblade War, which ravaged his home, which is now the Keyblade Graveyard. His heart, rent by hopelessness, sorrow, and rage, warped his vision, and his mind. He now believes that the only way to prevent such a tragedy from happening again is to return the universe to a state in which only Keyblade wielders exist, and where Master Xehanort reigns supreme. This is Kingdom Hearts. Inside Kingdom Hearts, is a world of both light and darkness on equal grounds. He believes that those who fought the Keyblade War were unfit to wield the Keyblade, and people like them must be cast from the world. His vision is now that only the Keyblade wielders of the present are fit to wield the weapon with responsibility." she said.

"I see... But why is it that Heralds spawn from his mind like this? Isn't there some way to seal his heart away?" I said.

"It is impossible to seal away a heart outside of a person or Kingdom Hearts. They would simply wander throughout space, looking for a vessel. The Harbinger has lost and regained his heart twice. The first time was during the Keyblade War, when he was slain in the carnage, along with the rest of his people. The second was when his heart was released due to the overflowing hate and sadness within him. He finally regained his heart, and it became filled with his twisted vision. Heralds of Deceit are made up of that single-minded desire for equality. However, they are like Nobodies, in that they are intelligent, and can think, as well as plan. His vision is so complex, they inherited his own intelligence, which is very great. A Herald is born when a person gives themselves over to insanity or corruption. The result is a being driven by an indomitable last sentiment of the person. The advantage is, that no one Herald of Deceit can be reborn. They may look similar, but each one is unique, driven by a unique purpose, no matter how small the difference is between each one. But they are so numerous, it becomes troublesome." she said.

"So the only way to stop the spawning of the Heralds is put an end to the Harbinger himself?" I said.

"Precisely. But we must allow him to do it himself. His indomitable hate for existence puts him beyond death. We must return him to sanity, and allow him to pass on himself." she said.

"There must be another way. I've seen people driven by the darkness. It's hard to bring them back to their senses." I said.

"I know. Perhaps we shall discover a way, in time. But now, to the task at hand. In order to confront the darkness within you, you must journey to The World That Never Was. Or at least, what remains of it. The will of your Herald is so strong, it managed to reconstruct the castle and city around itself, maintaining what is left. You must find the Hidden Keyhole, and confront it there. The World Keyhole will reveal itself rather easily, but to find the Hidden Keyhole will take some doing, for it will only become visible after the former has been sealed." she said.

"All right. I'll leave right away. I can get there myself." I said.

Opening a corridor of darkness, I traveled through, emerging at the Brink of Despair.

I traveled to the Proof of Existence, where portals to the various members' domains once stood. Each portal was shattered, with no way to use them. I looked around, to see if there was any special doorway or button. Then, I notice there was a spot on the floor, that indicated some kind of door. I tapped it with my Keyblade, and it opened.

The stairs led below to an unbroken portal.

"A fourteenth member?" I said.

I looked at the portal more closely, and saw the outlines of a Keyhole starting to appear. I knew this meant that whoever's portal this was, they were closely linked to the purpose and fate of this world.

I pointed my Keyblade at it, and the usual beam of light shot from the tip, locking the Keyhole, which would stop darkness and corruption from flowing in. I then entered the portal to see who this might have belonged to.

Instead of seeing some place in the castle, I arrived at the mansion in Twilight Town. Or at least, something like it. I knew it wasn't real, because the true nature of nothingness is that while it can produce an illusion, it can never reproduce the original.

"What? Twilight Town? Could this be Roxas' portal? The portal didn't have a number... But Roxas did have a portal... So, maybe this is something else." I said.

Entering the mansion. everything looked familiar. The foyer, and the dining room. Even Naminé's room was there. Then I went to see the computer room, where Ansem the Wise used to be. Instead of seeing a destroyed computer, it was completely unharmed. When I sat down, the screens turned on, and a girl was standing in the room where Sora used to be, when he was recovering his memories.

"Roxas, if you're watching this, that means I've gone back to Sora. I hoped that one day you might come back to remember what you've been trying to for so long. Hopefully, one day we can meet again. Just remember me, even if you're the only one who remembers Xion. A copy of you, of Sora. Know that memories and parts of people's hearts will linger in places they were tied to, and that it's possible they can manifest into something greater.. I'm recording with the last of my strength, before I disappear. Goodbye, Roxas." she said.

The screen turned off. I began to wonder.

"Hmm... Xion... Why does that sound so familiar? And what did she mean by things lingering in places they were tied to?" I said.

Thinking about that, I went down to the pod where Sora once was. While the pod was still there, it was open. Instead of Sora, I saw myself. My younger self was dreaming inside the pod.

When I stepped forward, his eyes opened, and a dark aura began to envelop him. He began walking toward me.

"We hated him.. That wretched.. Sora... He replaced us... How could he... Had he forgotten our friendship so soon? The only way to make him remember was to make him suffer... But then, Ansem took us... And we saw the truth... But even after he was gone... The darkness never left us..." he said.

"It's over now, I'm learning to make amends. Soon, I'll find balance." I told him.

"No... the only solution is... to destroy us... We can't burden others anymore..." he said.

Then, he vanished into a pool of darkness.

"Wait!" I said.

I thought, "Maybe this is where the Hidden Keyhole lies..."

I raised my Keyblade to the pod, and sure enough, a Keyhole began to take shape.

Suddenly, darkness began to envelop me, and I was taken to a place made of light and darkness. And my younger self was standing there.

"The only solution... is to destroy us!" it said.

"If this is what it will take to release me... Then I'll gladly do it!" I said.

I drew my Keyblade, and my younger self began to form into something else. As the darkness began to take shape, I saw the form of a dragon. The wings were a deep black, and its eyes tinted red. Its claws were tipped red, like they were dipped in blood.

"I am Bahamut, your Herald of Deceit. I am your darkness, your hate, your regret. I will end you, so that I may rest, and this world will be free of your taint." he said, in a deep, menacing voice.

"If you truly are my darkness... I will put an end to you!" I said.

I struck at Bahamut's wings first, so that I could bring him to the ground. Firing blasts of fire at his wings didn't do much, so I decided to freeze his wings, making them heavy.

After he was on the ground, I began to attack his head, but I soon realized that his wounds were regenerating.

"What will it take to bring you down!?" I screamed at him.

"I am a form of darkness! I cannot vanish, for darkness is perpetual, for light is equally eternal! I will not be released from this form, until you are gone!" he said.

"Release..." I thought.

It suddenly hit me, and started aiming for his chest. When I finally got a hold, I ran the Keyblade deep in his chest, and turned it.

"Fool! I have no heart to be lost!" he said.

"Yeah, that may be... But your darkness was once mine... So now, I'll set you free! Go back to the abyss where you belong!" I said.

I drew back, and Bahamut fell to the ground, sprawled out. His wings and body began to become a pearly white laced with gold. I went closer, in order to get a closer look. Then, he began to get up.

"Thank you, Riku, for releasing the darkness that held me down." he said.

"You're welcome, but I thought that once the darkness was gone, you would vanish." I said.

"Riku, the nature of a Herald of Deceit is truly a mystery, even to the Harbinger himself. However, we do know that a Herald embodies the will of a person, both that of light and darkness, and is driven by that which is stronger." he said.

"So that's why you were driven by my darkness?" I asked.

"Indeed. You see, the five incomplete beings of the universe: Heartless, Nobodies, Unversed, Dream Eaters, and Heralds; they are what make up a person. The Heartless represent the corruption and pain, not darkness, in people's hearts. The Nobodies are the husks of people, that seek to be whole once more. The Unversed are born from the negative emotions of a young man named Vanitas, who himself, is the dark half of a person named Ventus. He is incomplete, and sought completion by merging himself with his other half, and form the X-Blade, but ultimately failed." he said.

"But isn't the X-Blade what Master Xehanort is trying to create now? What happened to Vanitas?" I said.

"Yes, but Vanitas is somewhere, lost in space. It is believed that he will vanish, and become a part of Ventus again, when his heart is returned to him." Bahamut said.

"But who is Ventus, exactly?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, I do not know. He was only mentioned in Xehanort's discussions, when I was able to listen to them, when the darkness corrupted me. I remember, that Xehanort was quite surprised that Ventus was awoken, when you fought him." he said.

"Awoken? You mean that armor around Sora was Ventus?" I said.

"Not exactly. It was a part of Ventus' memory awoken by the Dream Eaters, and Ventus summoned his armor around Sora, but Ventus was then momentarily possessed by the abyss, and he thought he was fighting Vanitas, when in actuality, it was you, who still possessed the mark of corruption. He was released from its grip when you defeated him." Bahamut said.

"But how did the Dream Eaters awaken Ventus' memory, and why?" I said.

"Ventus has long slept within Sora, when his heart was ripped from his body in the battle with Vanitas, and Sora has spent much time mending Ventus' heart, unknowingly, in his sleep. When Roxas and Xion returned to Sora, much of Ventus' heart and memories returned, which were slowly re-stitched to him. Dream Eaters are born within dreams, and can awaken memories buriedwithin one's heart, which allow dreams to occur." Bahamut said.

"I see... So that's why Sora slept so much... But what about you? You're a Herald of Deceit. What exactly is your part of a heart?" I said.

"The truth is, there are two kinds of Heralds. Those of Truth and those of Deceit. The Heralds of Deceit are the indomitable wills of people, that are corrupted by pain and hate, twisted in some horrible way. The Heralds of Truth are driven by the truth of a person's will, knowing how to truly fulfill their original selves true intent." he said.

"So you're Herald of Truth now?" I said.

"Yes. Now, allow me to return to your heart, and bring it into balance." he said.

I did as he said, opening my heart, and suddenly I felt at peace, and no longer weighed down. Then, the world around me began to fall apart, and suddenly a hall of light appeared, and I ran through, to return to the palace in Shiragasa.


End file.
